Tuesday, February 03, 2004
There's a Meetin' Here Tonight--(by kc--)
Sisters—(clap, clap) Sisters—there now. (deep breath, kc)
I’m so excited.
Arkansas the Opera is in our hands!
“Hallelujah!!”
Quiet now, please.
And from the back: “Praise The Lord & Lassies-and pass the ammunition!!
“Hanna, “Ring that bell!"
OK now, Sisters. Let’s rehearse (music fades in):
Jan, "keep us honest, now. . ."
Inky, "blow your horn." . . . . "Ar, 'git your arse down here'--"
Steffie, "show us the way, little girl"
Dawn, "git the horses hummin’—no tokens here"
Kimmy, Bobbie Jean, Virgie," git ready now. . ."
Sandy, Tracy: bring it in from the outside – slo-o-o-wly now.
All together. . . one, two, .
Beth, "Babble On! But just stop whining, please,--"
"One, two three. . .STOP. You there, what’s your name again? Irish? Sorry, I didn’t recognize you, hun"
Let’s take it from the top. . . But first--"Jimmie. . . Would you stop baitin’—there’s a meetin’ going on. Jus take yur lille brothers and git outta hare fur awhile. . . . "
“Thanks, Sweetie. . . "I know it's hard--"
OK, ladies. Take a deep breath.
Let's give it a spin!
I’m so excited.
Arkansas the Opera is in our hands!
“Hallelujah!!”
Quiet now, please.
And from the back: “Praise The Lord & Lassies-and pass the ammunition!!
“Hanna, “Ring that bell!"
OK now, Sisters. Let’s rehearse (music fades in):
Jan, "keep us honest, now. . ."
Inky, "blow your horn." . . . . "Ar, 'git your arse down here'--"
Steffie, "show us the way, little girl"
Dawn, "git the horses hummin’—no tokens here"
Kimmy, Bobbie Jean, Virgie," git ready now. . ."
Sandy, Tracy: bring it in from the outside – slo-o-o-wly now.
All together. . . one, two, .
Beth, "Babble On! But just stop whining, please,--"
"One, two three. . .STOP. You there, what’s your name again? Irish? Sorry, I didn’t recognize you, hun"
Let’s take it from the top. . . But first--"Jimmie. . . Would you stop baitin’—there’s a meetin’ going on. Jus take yur lille brothers and git outta hare fur awhile. . . . "
“Thanks, Sweetie. . . "I know it's hard--"
OK, ladies. Take a deep breath.
Let's give it a spin!
Bull Shoals -
Arkansas the Opera
Bull Shoals (Marion County) Arkansas 72619
Introduction
Opening the kitchen shades, I look out on Bull Mountain and watch the sunrise. It's morning in the Ozarks, time to wake up and brew the coffee, grind the beans-sometimes in that order, sometimes not. Wake up the computer.
Friends across the road get up earlier. (But then I hold a record for staying up late.) The rooster crows within me. The body stretches and groans. Wake up, wake up, you sleepy head. . . they used to say. Now it’s wake up, wake up, you bed head. Charming.
Morning in Bull Shoals, Arkansas, our little town of 2,000 people – BS, AR, 72619. Marion County, USA. We are working toward being an ACE community. We are mostly retired. We treasure the few children that live among us. We thank God for our blessings each day. We are happy here. We stay on our side of The White River whenever possible. We vote for
Sheriff Carl each election. We are 99% volunteer: The Fire Department, the Library; the Lions Club, the VFW. The grocery store in town is Employee Owned. Only one gas station, a Texaco, for fuel and cigarettes, bait and coffee.
We have our own “theatre”. More about that later.
Oh yes, we have four diners for breakfast and more places to eat open up as the day goes on.
A good friend of mine runs the hardware store He and his wife sell the best honey—locally grown; cash only; money in a separate envelope the beekeeper. Same for the dry cleaning lady who comes in on Fridays.
Many heat their homes with LP gas - or wood burning stoves. The “new places” have fireplaces.
“New Folks” have been here only 20 years. And there’s a saying: “If Charley Larson doesn’t know you, you must have moved in overnight.”
Charley is my father. He and Mother Marie rest in Newton Flats Cemetery—along with my Uncles: Clarence, Martin, and Frank. My Aunt Zdenka already has her name engraved on her stone. She likes it better than the other family stones. It’s a granite monument she shares with her husband. It says “Together Forever.” Zdenka is 93.
Arkansas the Opera is the story of our daily life “in these parts” as my parents would say. My partner and I live in the house my family bought from the Harold & Joannie Houchans over 40 years ago. Living under my parent’s roof and living in sin, I smile. They would smile too. I share this space and time with the love of my life. Daddy always called him Jimmy. No one here cares if you’re married or not. They only care if you’ve got a good heart, and are loving and kind.
The crime rate is low, especially for a City that can’t always afford to have a policeman on duty at night. But between Chief Randy, Sheriff Carl and “the boys”-and girls-of Marion County, we keep this place the way we like it. Peaceful. Mayor Margaret next door likes it that way. We do too.
***
Bull Shoals (Marion County) Arkansas 72619
Introduction
Opening the kitchen shades, I look out on Bull Mountain and watch the sunrise. It's morning in the Ozarks, time to wake up and brew the coffee, grind the beans-sometimes in that order, sometimes not. Wake up the computer.
Friends across the road get up earlier. (But then I hold a record for staying up late.) The rooster crows within me. The body stretches and groans. Wake up, wake up, you sleepy head. . . they used to say. Now it’s wake up, wake up, you bed head. Charming.
Morning in Bull Shoals, Arkansas, our little town of 2,000 people – BS, AR, 72619. Marion County, USA. We are working toward being an ACE community. We are mostly retired. We treasure the few children that live among us. We thank God for our blessings each day. We are happy here. We stay on our side of The White River whenever possible. We vote for
Sheriff Carl each election. We are 99% volunteer: The Fire Department, the Library; the Lions Club, the VFW. The grocery store in town is Employee Owned. Only one gas station, a Texaco, for fuel and cigarettes, bait and coffee.
We have our own “theatre”. More about that later.
Oh yes, we have four diners for breakfast and more places to eat open up as the day goes on.
A good friend of mine runs the hardware store He and his wife sell the best honey—locally grown; cash only; money in a separate envelope the beekeeper. Same for the dry cleaning lady who comes in on Fridays.
Many heat their homes with LP gas - or wood burning stoves. The “new places” have fireplaces.
“New Folks” have been here only 20 years. And there’s a saying: “If Charley Larson doesn’t know you, you must have moved in overnight.”
Charley is my father. He and Mother Marie rest in Newton Flats Cemetery—along with my Uncles: Clarence, Martin, and Frank. My Aunt Zdenka already has her name engraved on her stone. She likes it better than the other family stones. It’s a granite monument she shares with her husband. It says “Together Forever.” Zdenka is 93.
Arkansas the Opera is the story of our daily life “in these parts” as my parents would say. My partner and I live in the house my family bought from the Harold & Joannie Houchans over 40 years ago. Living under my parent’s roof and living in sin, I smile. They would smile too. I share this space and time with the love of my life. Daddy always called him Jimmy. No one here cares if you’re married or not. They only care if you’ve got a good heart, and are loving and kind.
The crime rate is low, especially for a City that can’t always afford to have a policeman on duty at night. But between Chief Randy, Sheriff Carl and “the boys”-and girls-of Marion County, we keep this place the way we like it. Peaceful. Mayor Margaret next door likes it that way. We do too.
***
